New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records, 1889-1967
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- New Mine Sapphire Syndicate
- Title
- New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records
- Dates
- 1889-1967 (inclusive)18891967
- Quantity
- 5.0 linear feet, (10 boxes and 1 oversize box)
- Collection Number
- Mss 028
- Summary
- The New Mine Sapphire Syndicate mined sapphires in Utica, Montana, in Judith Basin County. The collection contains the company's governing documents, financial records, correspondence, legal documents and court papers, reports, clippings, publicity and printed materials, and photographs.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and the University of Montana-Missoula.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical Note
Originally discovered by prospectors in search of placer gold, the rich sapphire-bearing ledge of Montana was located and claimed by three Montanans in 1896. The New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, based solely on the Yogo Sapphire District near Utica, Montana, in Judith Basin County, was incorporated in 1898. S. S. Hobson served as vice president, and Mathew Dunn and George A. Wells, both Great Falls residents, served respectively as president and secretary-treasurer. Soon after the turn of the century, the corporation came under the control of British investors, remaining so until 1949. The Yogo mines operated profitably until 1927, when a flash flood destroyed the surface workings of the Syndicate's operation. After that, little was done to exploit the remaining sapphires. In 1956, Thomas Sidwell succeeded in purchasing the controlling interest in the Syndicate. Lack of capital hampered his operations until 1956-1957, when the Syndicate's stock was re-issued and some work resumed at the mine. Lawsuits, prior claims, poor management, and bad luck combined to ruin the renewed operations of the corporation, and the venture was bankrupt by 1961.
Content Description
The collection contains the company's governing documents, financial records, correspondence, legal documents and court papers, reports, clippings, publicity and printed materials, and photographs.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.
Preferred Citation
[Name of document or photograph number], New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative Information
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in ten series:
Series I: Governance and History, 4 folders, 1898-1960
Series II: Correspondence, 1.0 linear foot, 1898-1963
Series III: Financial Records, 3.0 linear feet, 1909-1960
Series IV: Court Papers, 4 folders, 1956-1960
Series V: Legal Documents, 4 folders, 1889-1967
Series VI: Reports, 1 folder, 1910-1959
Series VII: Maps and Blueprints, 1 folder, undated
Series VIII: Clippings, 1 folder, 1950-1960
Series IX: Publicity, 2 folders, 1950-1960
Series X: Photographs, 22 items, 1924-1925
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of John Wight and Marvel Lowrance, owners of the Syndicate's assets, until time of donation.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Marvel Lowrance and John Wight, 1970.
Processing Note
The original processors arranged the records in two collections, LC 28 and LC 223, separated photographs to the photograph collection, and produced a finding aid. In 2004, the two collections were combined, photographs were intellectually re-united with the collection, and a new finding aid was produced and encoded.
Detailed Description of the Collection
-
Series I: Governance and History, 1898-1960
4 foldersThis series contains documentation on the governance and history of the company. It includes corporate histories written within and without the company, founding documents (articles of incorporation, resolutions), and some minutes of Board of Directors meetings, mostly from the earliest years of the company.
-
Description: Company historyDates: 1956 and undatedContainer: Box/Folder 1/1
-
Description: OrganizationDates: 1898-1948Container: Box/Folder 1/2
-
Description: OrganizationDates: 1948-1962Container: Box/Folder 1/3
-
Description: Board of Directors minutesDates: 1898-1960Container: Box/Folder 1/4
-
-
Series II: Correspondence, 1898-1963
1.0 linear footThis series contains incoming and outgoing correspondence from the company.
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1898-1899Container: Box/Folder 1/5
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1910-1914Container: Box/Folder 1/6
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1918-1923Container: Box/Folder 1/7
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1924-1927Container: Box/Folder 1/8
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1928-1931Container: Box/Folder 1/9
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1932-1939Container: Box/Folder 1/10
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1945-1951Container: Box/Folder 1/11
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1952-1953Container: Box/Folder 1/12
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1956Container: Box/Folder 1/13
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: January-September, 1957Container: Box/Folder 1/14
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: October-December, 1957Container: Box/Folder 1/15
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: January-March, 1958Container: Box/Folder 2/1
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: April-June, 1958Container: Box/Folder 2/2
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: July-December, 1958Container: Box/Folder 2/3
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: January-March, 1959Container: Box/Folder 2/4
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: April-June, 1959Container: Box/Folder 2/5
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: July-September, 1959Container: Box/Folder 2/6
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: October-December, 1959Container: Box/Folder 2/7
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1960Container: Box/Folder 3/1
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1961Container: Box/Folder 3/2
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1962Container: Box/Folder 3/3
-
Description: CorrespondenceDates: 1963Container: Box/Folder 3/4
-
-
Series III: Financial Records, 1909-1960
3.0 linear feetThis series contains the company's financial records, including those related to taxes, stockholders, unemployment compensation, operating statements, general ledgers, check stubs, ledgers, and journals. There are also some of Thomas Sidwell's personal financial materials.
-
Description: Employer's Federal tax returnsDates: 1957-1961Container: Box/Folder 3/5
-
Description: U.S. Corporation Income Tax ReturnsDates: 1909-1930Container: Box/Folder 3/6
-
Description: U.S. Corporation Income Tax ReturnsDates: 1952-1959Container: Box/Folder 3/7
-
Description: U.S. Income Tax return (Sidwell)Dates: 1959Container: Box/Folder 3/8
-
Description: Montana State Income TaxDates: 1957-1960Container: Box/Folder 3/9
-
Description: Montana State Income Tax return (Sidwell)Dates: 1959Container: Box/Folder 3/10
-
Description: Montana Corporation License TaxDates: 1921-1930Container: Box/Folder 3/11
-
Description: Montana Corporation License TaxDates: 1956-1959Container: Box/Folder 3/12
-
Description: Montana Net Proceeds TaxDates: 1903-1930Container: Box/Folder 3/13
-
Description: Montana Net Proceeds TaxDates: 1957-1958Container: Box/Folder 3/14
-
Description: Unemployment Compensation ReportsDates: 1957-1960Container: Box/Folder 3/15
-
Description: Judith Basin County Real Estate TaxDates: 1956-1961Container: Box/Folder 3/16
-
Description: Annual Report to the Secretary of State of MontanaDates: 1956-1961Container: Box/Folder 3/17
-
Description: Annual ReportsDates: 1898-1929Container: Box/Folder 3/18
-
Description: Stockholders' listDates: 1938Container: Box/Folder 3/19
-
Description: Stockholders' listDates: 1957-1965Container: Box/Folder 4/1
-
Description: Stock Certificates BookDates: 1959-1967Container: Box volume OS 11/7
-
Description: Register of SharesDates: 1914-1949Container: Box volume 4/1
-
Description: Cancelled stock certificatesDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 4/2
-
Description: Cancelled stock certificatesDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 4/3
-
Description: Stock sales, prospect listsDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 4/4
-
Description: Stock subscriptions and sales recordsDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 5/1
-
Description: Stock transfersDates: 1957-1960Container: Box/Folder 5/2
-
Description: Stock releasesDates: 1967Container: Box/Folder 5/3
-
Description: New Mine properties and titlesDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 5/4
-
Description: General ledgerDates: 1914-1936Container: Box volume 5/2
-
Description: General ledgerDates: 1958-1960Container: Box volume 6/3
-
Description: General ledgerDates: 1955-1958Container: Box/Folder 6/1
-
Description: Sapphire Stock inventoriesDates: 1922-1933Container: Box/Folder 6/2
-
Description: Accounts payableDates: 1957-1960Container: Box/Folder 6/3
-
Description: Payroll withholding statementsDates: 1957Container: Box/Folder 6/4
-
Description: Trial balancesDates: 1911-1912Container: Box/Folder 6/5
-
Description: Financial statementsDates: 1957-1960Container: Box/Folder 6/6
-
Description: Operating statementsDates: 1919-1932Container: Box/Folder 6/7
-
Description: Operating statementsDates: 1955-1960Container: Box/Folder 6/8
-
Description: Check stubsDates: 1956-1959Container: Box/Folder 6/9
-
Description: Check stubsDates: 1959-1960Container: Box volume 7/8
-
Description: Check stubsDates: 1959-1960Container: Box volume 7/9
-
Description: MiscellaneousDates: 1909-1938Container: Box/Folder 7/1
-
Description: MiscellaneousDates: 1957-1960Container: Box/Folder 7/2
-
Description: JournalDates: 1931-1949Container: Box volume 7/1
-
Description: Private ledgerDates: 1922-1953Container: Box volume 8/4
-
Description: Cash bookDates: 1911-1936Container: Box volume 8/5
-
-
Series IV: Court Papers, 1956-1960
4 foldersThis series contains court papers related to a 1956-1960 case, Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. At issue were Gadsden's assets after her husband, Charles T. Gadsden (a New Sapphire manager of many years) died in 1954.
-
Description: Maude Margaret Gadsden Vs. New Mine Sapphire SyndicateDates: 1956-1959Container: Box/Folder 8/1
-
Description: Maude Margaret Gadsden Vs. New Mine Sapphire SyndicateDates: 1956Container: Box/Folder 8/2
-
Description: Maude Margaret Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire SyndicateDates: 1956-1958Container: Box/Folder 9/1
-
Description: Maude Margaret Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire SyndicateDates: 1959-1960Container: Box/Folder 9/2
-
-
Series V: Legal Documents, 1889-1967
4 foldersThis series contains legal documents, including deeds, patents, and materials related to the company's mining claims.
-
Description: Deeds and PatentsDates: 1889-1928Container: Box/Folder 9/3
-
Description: AgreementsDates: 1896-1920Container: Box/Folder 9/4
-
Description: MiscellaneousDates: 1894-1944Container: Box/Folder 9/5
-
Description: Mining claimsDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 10/1
-
Description: Mining claimsDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 10/2
-
Description: MiscellaneousDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 10/3
-
-
Series VI: Reports, 1910-1959
1 folderThis series consists of one folder of reports produced or commissioned by the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. Most relate to mining claims.
-
Description: ReportsDates: 1910-1959Container: Box/Folder 10/4
-
-
Series VII: Maps and Blueprints, undated
1 folderThis series consists of two folders of maps and blueprints related to the operations of the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. Some relate to mining claims, and others are unidentified.
-
Description: Maps and BlueprintsDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 10/5 and OS
-
-
Series VIII: Clippings, 1950-1960
1 folderThis series contains newspaper and magazine clippings, mostly from Montana publications, about the Yogo sapphires.
-
Description: ClippingsDates: 1950-1960Container: Box/Folder 10/6
-
-
Series IX: Publications and Publicity, 1950-1960
2 foldersThis series contains printed and other publicity materials produced by and for the company.
-
Description: Publications and PublicityDates: 1950-1960Container: Box/Folder 10/7
-
Description: Publications and PublicityDates: 1950-1960Container: Box/Folder OS 11
-
-
Series X: Photographs, 1924-1925 and undated
22 itemsThis series contains photographs of the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate operation in Utica, Montana. Most were taken around 1924-1925, and show the buildings, mechanicals, and other aspects of the mine site and mining equipment. Several images show damage after floods.
-
Dates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0002
-
Description: Shaft house and compressor house, New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0003
-
Dates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0004
-
Description: "The shaft house, old blacksmith shop, new blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, railway on left to dump, New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana"Dates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0005
-
Description: "Dam no. 1, showing how 1-inch board heave up. 2-inch lay much better. These boards have been in since 1910, but do not rot in lower part of dam where they are wet but do heave up"Dates: 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0006
-
Description: "Looking down in the mine"Dates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0007
-
Description: "Dam no. 1"Dates: 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0008
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0009
-
Description: "Dirt at old camp washed once in 1920, center cut out wider by cloudburst, 1923"Dates: 1924Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0010
-
Description: "Wash rock washed [illegible] of first flood"Dates: 1924Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0011
-
Description: "Pile under trestle only new dirt left"Dates: 1924Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0012
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0013
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0014
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0015
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0016
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0017
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0018
-
Description: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, MontanaDates: circa 1925Container: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0019
-
Dates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0020
-
Description: "Underground workings" [probably Yogo mines]Dates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 10/8, Photo number 79-0021
-
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Investments, British--Montana--Yogo Creek Region
- Mining corporations--Montana--Yogo Creek Region
- Sapphire mines and mining--Montana--Yogo Creek Region
Form or Genre Terms
- Business records--Montana--Yogo Creek Region
